1. Field
The present disclosure relates to nanopiezoelectric generators and methods of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Piezoelectric generators that convert mechanical vibration into electrical energy may be used as power supplies for small devices and sensors or as mechanical vibration sensors.
Nanopiezotronics, which is piezoelectricity on a nanoscopic scale, has been recently studied. Piezoelectric efficiency in a nanostructure is higher than piezoelectric efficiency in a bulk structure as a result of strain confinement. In a bulk structure, strain caused by a stress occurs not only in a direction in which the stress is applied but also in directions in which the stress is not applied, whereas in a nanostructure, particularly, in a nanowire that is a one-dimensional (1D) nanostructure, strain is limited to a longitudinal direction of the nanowire in which a stress is applied, thereby leading to a high piezoelectric coefficient.
Since well-known piezoelectric materials such as lead zirconate titanate (PZT) or barium titanium oxide (BTO) are harmful to the human body and since it is difficult to synthesize a nanowire by using such well-known piezoelectric material, a material such as ZnO or GaN, from which a nanowire may be easily synthesized, has recently been actively studied as new nanopiezoelectric materials.